Should the United States increase spending on social welfare and health programs?

The argument supports that the US should increase social welfare spending. Key considerations include:

Current Spending Context

The United States spends more than 40% including military on social and health programs, which remains lower than comparable democratic nations. Existing programmes include Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI), Medicare, Medicaid, Supplementary Security Income (SSI), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Employment Argument

"Government Expenditure on defense would create fewer job opportunities than on social welfare programs." Defense jobs are mostly limited to civilian Pentagon employees, whereas social welfare spending distributes economic activity more broadly across the economy.

International Comparison

The Canadian government allocates significantly more resources to medical care and social programs than the US, resulting in better population health outcomes and lower administrative costs through unified coverage systems.

Conclusion

To generate additional employment opportunities and improve social outcomes, "the government needs to spend more than the current level in social welfare and health programs."